"Boxing against the disease": training study with Parkinson's patients launched

Prof. Armin Kibele is currently conducting a training study with Parkinson's patients at the IfSS. The HNA reported in detail on this study on June 11, 2024: "Researchers investigate the effectiveness of training for Parkinson's: Kassel - A slightly prancing step and targeted punches against the padding: Rainer Becklas is not only talented at boxing exercises, he also has fun. "I used to do taekwondo," says the 62-year-old. In the Task sports hall at the Auestadion, he now fights against a strong opponent: his Parkinson's disease.

The pensioner from Warburg is one of 35 participants in a training study at the University of Kassel. The study is investigating which type of exercise can best help to slow down the progression of the disease. Rainer Becklas is part of the group that is completing what is known as rebound training for ten weeks.

The main exercises on the program involve reacting to something or interacting with a training partner: whether table tennis, tango dancing or boxing. Strength exercises on wobbly surfaces are also part of the program, where you have to maintain your balance.

This type of training is primarily intended to strengthen the stabilizing muscles, also known as the supporting muscles. These are used to stabilize posture and for involuntary, reflex-like movements. Armin Kibele, Professor of Exercise and Movement Science, suspects that Parkinson's patients benefit from these exercises.

To find out whether rebound training really works better than other sports activities, there are two comparison groups: One undergoes strength training on equipment at the Unifit gym. A third group does not undergo any special training in order to rule out the possibility that there are effects solely due to the summer season, which is usually associated with more activities.

Thea Holleck from Kassel is also part of the rebound group. She has been looking forward to the weekly Friday training sessions since they started in mid-May. "I think it's great fun," says the 73-year-old, "and the exercises are very good." She particularly enjoyed the boxing, but is also looking forward to the table tennis session. She already has the impression that there has been a noticeable improvement.

Study director Armin Kibele also hopes that the results will confirm this. Before and after the training period, cognitive and motor tests are used to assess the performance of the test subjects. Whether and to what extent the training is effective will then be determined in the second half of the year.

The sports scientist from Kassel has been researching the effect of functional stabilizer training - i.e. strengthening the supporting muscles through whole-body exercises - for many years. Initially, the focus was on improving performance in top-class sport. Later, Kibele and his team concentrated primarily on preventing falls in senior citizens. Strength training on wobble mats also had an effect here. "Everything indicates that functional stabilizer training is also useful for Parkinson's patients," says Kibele, who is retiring next year.

He hopes that the joint Transfer and Application Center for Sport in Kassel (Task) run by the city and the university will also focus on rehabilitation sport in the future. For study participant Thea Holleck, one thing is already clear: she would be involved if the training were offered on a permanent basis.